3 Crowns Special Events

Twin Cities First-Year Excursion

Students and faculty alike look forward to this fun, first-year excursion. This trip includes a visit to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, where students can partake in tours guided by their professors or meander through the exhibits on their own. Students enjoy free time to explore the Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Center and take pictures by the iconic cherry and spoon. There is always a viewing of an artistic performance at a Minneapolis theater, such as the Guthrie Theater or Theatre in the Round. Past performances that students have attended include: Hamlet, Antigone, Lysistrata, Uncle Vanya, A View from the Bridge, Big Love, Vanska and the James Sewell Ballet, A Masked Ball, Pygmalion, and Measure for Measure. Students have the opportunity to go out to dinner with their classmates at various restaurants in Uptown Minneapolis before the show!

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

The Sculpture Garden and the Guthrie Theater

Saint John’s Abbey Retreat

On the retreat to Saint John’s Abbey, students and faculty learn about humility, tradition, and community within Benedictine monastic life. The trip always includes a reading of The Rule of Saint Benedict and the recitation of lauds, vigils, and hymns alongside the monks. Students and faculty receive a guided tour of the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library to look at classical and medieval rare books and to view the world-renowned illuminated Saint John’s Bible. They also meet Richard Bresnahan, the artist-in-residence, and visit his pottery studio to see the Master Potter at work. There are opportunities for self-reflection and meditation, as well as time for exploration of the surrounding woodlands; for instance, students often enjoy hiking to a hidden chapel across the lake. Students have plenty of free time for games, movies, and relaxation over the course of this weekend retreat!

Koinonia Retreat Center

Students always enjoy our winter escape to the Koinonia Retreat Center! They participate in a variety of winter activities, including broomball, sledding, and steaming in an outdoor sauna. We center these trips on a yearly theme, with a corresponding lecture, such as “The Art of Living” with Professor Doug Huff, “Getting Lost and Finding Yourself: Journeys in Homer’s Odyssey and a Teenager’s Guide to Surviving Communist Poland” with Professor Matt Panciera, and “Why a Liberal Arts Education Matters” with MPR’s Tom Crann from All Things Considered. This trip fosters bonding between cohorts, allowing our Seniors to pass the torch (or the 3 Crowns) to our incoming students. Seniors perform a hilarious, original skit focusing on some of the idiosyncrasies of their favorite professors. There is plenty of time to kickback and relax, to play indoor and outdoor games, to watch movies, and to spend time with professors on this frosty retreat!